Otoscope



6. F. SCHENK July 13, 1954 OTOSCO'PE Filed June 13, 1952 INVENTORGEORGE. SCHENK ATTORNEYS Patented July 13, 1954 O'I OSCOPE George F.Schenk, Buifalo, N. Y., assignor to American Optical Company,

Southbridge,

Mass., a voluntary association of Massachusetts Application June 13,1952, Serial No. 293,413

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in diagnOstic instruments and hasreference particularly to an instrument of the otoscope class embodyingmeans for gaining access to a source to be examined and havingself-contained illuminating means for illuminating said source.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide aninstrument of the otoscope class embodying a main support carrying aspeculum for aiding in gaining access to a source to be observed andhaving improved adjustable means thereon for supporting illuminatingmeans in positions to direct light rays through the speculum and to afocal point adjacent the small end of said speculum and improved tubularsupporting means therefor, said adjustable means being such as to permitsaid illuminating means to be adjusted upon said tubular means in apredetermined arc to said various positions while retaining the focus ofsaid light rays at said focal point.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character whereinsaid supporting means embodies means for quickly and easilyinterchanging light sources therein and wherein newly inserted lightsources will be automatically aligned and focused when inserted.

Another object is the provision of an otoscope or the like of the abovecharacter wherein electrical energy is supplied to the source ofillumination in the supporting means by means of leads connected with asource of electrical energy in the support, the entire electrical meansbeing so constructed and arranged as to assure a relatively constantsupply of electrical energy to the source of illumination withoutafiecting the adjustment of the supporting means on the support.

Another object is to provide an instrument of the above character havingsupporting means adjustably attached to the main support by pivotalmeans embodying a wide frictional area, and stop means associated withsaid pivotal means for controlling the related positions of adjustmentof said supporting means and said main support.

Other objects are to provide an instrument of the above character whichis rugged in construction, simple and efficient in operation, andrelatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an otoscope head embodying theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the supporting means for the sourceof illumination;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view partly in section of theotoscope head; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 3looking in the direction of the arrows.

Many prior art types of otoscopes and like instruments embody supportingmeans carrying a light source for illuminating a source to be examinedthrough a, speculum, wherein the supporting means is movable on itssupport to adjust the light source as desired. In such constructionselectrical energy is usually supplied to the light source throughfrictional contacts. However, such frictional contacts have proven to besomewhat unreliable since during use of the instrument the parts maybecome worn or misaligned, causing a loose fit between the partswhereupon the continuity of the supply of electrical energy to the lightsource may be interrupted. Such interruptions could be seriouslydetrimental, particularly when occurring during use of the instrumentfor surgical purposes or the like.

The present invention overcomes the above and other disadvantages of theprior art through the provision of an instrument embodying novel readilyadjustable means for securing a supporting member to the main supportwhereby a light source carried by the supporting member can be adjustedthrough a predetermined arc and will be supplied constantly withelectrical energy when desired through substantially positively attachedelectrical leads. Thus, through any adjusted position of the lightsource there will always be constant undiminished illumination of theobjective field. The present invention further provides an improvedconnection between the supporting means for the light source and themain support for the speculum wherein a large area frictional engagementtherebetween exists whereby misalignment and consequent possibility ofdisturbing the desired axial relation of the light source and viewingmeans with respect to the axis of the speculum is obviated.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like characters ofreference designate like parts throughout the several views, the deviceembodying the invention comprises a preferably metallic main support I 0having a hollow head portion I2 which is removably mounted on a handle II (Fig. 1). The main support Ill has a speculum supporting portionthereon in the form of an integral ring-like member 1 3 which threadedlyor otherwise receives the large end of a cone shaped speculum [4. Themain support Ill is provided with another portion l5 which extends 3angularly downwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and has a slightly curvedupwardly extending metallic supporting member it": attached thereto. Themember is is provided with an enlarged portion H which is adapted to fitover and retatably move about a rearwardly extending bearing portion l8aof an elongated tubular member [8. The tubular member [8 has aperipheral flange l9 formed on one end thereof against which one edge ofthe enlarged portion ll rests and which has its other end positionedwithin the portion and held immovably therein by a set screw 20. Theinner edge of the enlarged portion l1 intimately and movably engages theadjacent edge of the portion and thus is prevented from movement towardand away from the speculum. Thus, there is provided a wide pivotalbearing area providing appreciable axial length and circumferential areafor frictional engagement between the supporting member It and thetubular member If; to thereby make a very strong construction and toeliminate all possible looseness and play between these relativelymovable parts.

In rotatably moving the supporting member it about the tubular member itit is to be noted that such movement is about an axis A-A extendingalong the axis of the tubular member i8 and intersecting the plane ofthe small end of the speculum i4 substantially centrally of said end.

The free end of the supporting member I6 is provided with a tubularextension 2i which is directed toward the speculum M and which carriestherein a lamp socket 22 having a light source in the form of aprefocused filament bulb 23 mounted therein. The bulb 23 is assembled inthe socket 22 prior to insertion in the instrument with its filament 23ain axial alignment with the socket 22 and in predetermined spacialrelation with the plane of a peripheral flange 2 1 formed on the socket.The major portion of the lamp socket 22 is adapted to relativelyintimately engage the inner walls of the tubular extension 2! with itsperipheral flange 24 received within an annular recess formed in the endof the extension 2i. A cap 26 is threadedly mounted over the end of theextension 2| and when screwed tightly onto the extension 2! has anannular interior shoulder portion thereof in engagement with the end ofthe extension 2 i. Spring means, which will be presently described,urges the flange 24 into firm engagement with shoulder portion 25, thusretaining the lamp socket 22 in desired position within the extension25. provided with a central opening therethrough in which is positioneda suitable condensing lens 21 which is adapted, when assembled with theextension 21 and prefocused illuminating unit, to concentrate the lightrays from the bulb 23 to produce a brightly lighted spot adjacent thesmall end of the speculum hi, the light rays passing along an axial pathindicated by line B-B in Fig. 3.

With such a construction it is evident that such prefocused bulb andsocket illuminating units can be interchanged without requiring specialadjustments and with assurance that the newly inserted bulb will emitlight which Will be concentrated as desired.

It is also apparent that adjustment of the supporting member or movablearm l5 about axis A-A may be performed and when this adjustment iswithin a predetermined range of lateral adjustment the light rays fromlamp 23 will The cap 23 is always be directed toward the small end ofthe speculum, thus insuring illumination of the object field in allpositions of adjustment.

A spring detent 28 is positioned in the portion lb of the main supportIt and is adapted to frictionally engage the base of a recessed section28a (Fig. 4) in the adjacent edge of the enlarged portion I1 of thesupporting member 16 for assisting in retaining the member H5 in variouspositions of adjustment. The recess 28a is of a controlled lengthwhereby its end walls will limit the extent of movement of thesupporting member iii on its pivot and thus establish said predeterminedrange of lateral adjustment of the supporting member it.

The supporting member is provided at its upper end with an opening 29(Fig. 2) in which is positioned a magnifying lens 30 which is so mountedas to permit viewing, by the operator, along axis CC which intersectsaxes A-A and B-B substantially at their point of intersection. The userof the instrument thus is provided constantly with a clear enlargedilluminated view of the objective field.

The supporting member IE is provided with a longitudinal recess 32 (Fig.2) in which is located an elongated plate or cover 34 formed of plasticor the like. The inner surface of the cover 34 is provided with a boss35 for receiving a screw 33 or the like for retaining the cover 34 inplace. Over the boss 35 are mounted metal connecting members 36 and 31spaced by a non-conductive ring 38. Each of the metal connecting membersand 3! has one end of respective wires 39 and ie soldered or otherwisesecurely connected thereto, the wires 39 and 49 extending throughcommunicating openings or passageways l6 and I8 provided therefor in theinterior of the supporting member Hi and in the side wall of the tubularmember !8 respectively and thence through an opening or centralpassageway Nib in the tubular member it and into the hollow interior IDof the main support [0. The connecting member 36 is formed with a springarm M which extends into resilient engagement with a single centralcontact in the adjacent end of the lamp 23 while the other member 31 hasa spring arm 31a formed with a bifurcated end which engages the socket22 of the lamp 23. Thus, the spring arms urge the flange 24 towardannular shoulder portion 25 and electrical current can travel from wire39, through member 36 and arm 4! to the end of lamp 23, and from thelamp either through the grounded socket 22, supporting member It, member3i to the wire at, or through the base of the lamp 23, spring arm 3100,and member 3'! to wire it. This construction insures continuous flow ofcurrent by decreasing chances of loose connections which might interruptthe flow of current to the lamp. An insulator 38a is attached to thenon-conductive ring 38 and extends between spring arms 32a and M to keepthem separated.

The main support iii is hollow, as described above, and has positionedtherein one end of a metal tube 22 to which the opposed end of wire tilit attached. The tube 42 has a non-conductive bushing 43 therein inwhich is positioned a spring device 45 having one end attached to theopposed end of wire 39 and having its other end adapted to engagebatteries or the like (not shown) mounted in handle H. The metal tube 42is in the conventional manner grounded to a metallic liner or batterycasing forming a part of the handle.

It is to be noted that the wires 39' and 40 are of sufiicient lengthwithin the main support I0 that the supporting member Hi can be easilyadjusted without any strain, tension or other effect upon the wires.Thus, current can be supplied to the lamp constantly when desiredthroughout the entire range of adjustment thereof. Also, any loosenessin the connection'between thesupporting member l6 and the main supportID will have no effect on the supply of current to the bulb 2-3.

A device constructed and arranged as described above is rugged andefiicient in its use and yet is attractive in appearance and simple inoperation.

While in the foregoing description the supporting member i6 has beenreferred to as being preferably formed of metal, it is to be understoodthat a plastic material such as Bakelite or the like may be used sinceit is apparent that electrical energy will pass from the lamp 23 throughthe spring arm 31a to the lead 40. Therefore, it is unnecessary that themember [6 be formed of metal to serve as means for passage of thecurrent to the lead 40.

It will be apparent, however, that many changes may be made in thearrangement of parts shown and described without departing fromthespiritof the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that allmaterial shown or described should be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a diagnostic instrument of the character described, a headcomprising a hollow mainsupport, a downwardly and rearwardly extendingtubular member carried by said main support, a

relatively wide cylindrical bearing surface on said tubular member, anadjustable arm carried by said tubular member and having a recesstherein, ring-shaped means carried by and extending upwardly from saidmain support, a cone-shaped speculum carried by the ring-shaped mean onsaid main support in spaced relation with said arm, said speculum havingits large end disposed toward said adjustable means and its smaller endprojecting forwardly thereof, illuminating means carried by saidadjustable arm and extending from said recess for projecting light raysas a convergent beam to a focal point substantially centrally of thesmaller end of the speculum and substantially in the transverse planethereof, said adjustable arm being rotatably mounted on said tubularmember for lateral movement of said illuminating means in apredetermined are about the axis of said cylindrical bearing surface,said axis extending upwardly and forwardly so as to substantiallyintersect said focal point, said main support, said tubular member andsaid adjustable arm having adjacent openings therein whereby theinterior of said main support is in constant communication with therecess in the adjustable arm, and electrical means comprising flexiblewires extending through said hollow main support and through saidopenings into the recess in said adjustable arm, and connecting saidilluminating means with electrical conducting means in said mainsupport, whereby said adjustable arm may be adjusted while maintainingthe supply of current to said illuminating means.

2. In a diagnostic instrument of the character described, a headcomprising a hollow main sup port, an adjustable arm carried by saidmain support and having a recess therein, said main support and saidadjustable arm having openings therein whereby the interior of said mainsupport is in constant communication with the recess in the adjustablearm, a cone-shaped speculum carried by said main support in spacedrelation with and having its large end disposed toward said adjustablearm and its smaller end forwardly thereof, a tubular bearing membermounted in said main support, said adjustable arm having one end thereofrotatably mounted on said tubular bearing member with a wide areafrictional engagement therebetween, said arm being movable about saidbearing member and about an axis substantially intersecting a focalpoint, adjacent and substantially centrally of the smaller end of thespeculum, said adjustable arm further having an opening near its opposedend, illuminating means comprising a lamp assembly dise posed in saidlatter opening in the adjustable arm and extending into the recesstherein, a cap attached to said adjustable arm over said latter openingtherein for retaining said illuminating means in said latter opening,said cap having a lens therein for projection of light rays as aconcentrated beam from said illuminating means to said focal point, andelectrical means comprising flexible wires extending through said hollowmain support and through said openings into the recess in saidadjustable arm for con necting said illuminating means with a source ofcurrent.

3. A diagnostic instrument head comprising a main support havingelectrical conducting means in a base portion thereof and having a firstpassageway extending vertically therefrom, a second passageway in saidmain support communicating with and extending downwardly and rearwardlyfrom the upper end of said first passageway, upstanding ring-shapedmeans carried by an upper portion of said main support in normally fixedrelation thereto, a substantially conically shaped speculum having itslarger rear end carried by said ring-shaped means and having the smallerend thereof disposed forwardly thereof, a tubular member carried by saidmain support in substantial alignment with said second passageway, saidtubular means having an elongated cylindrically shaped bearing surfaceformed thereon and disposed so that the axis thereof passes through thetransverse plane of the smaller end of said speculum substantiallycentrally of the opening therein, an upwardly extending movable armhaving a relatively large supporting portion integral therewith, acylindrical bore extending through said relatively large supportingportion, said bore receiving said elongated cylindrical bearing surface,an upwardly facing aperture in said tubular member, an upwardlyextending recess in said movable arm, illuminating means carried by anupper portion of said movable arm and disposed so as to direct aconvergent beam of light through said speculum and to focus said beamsubstantially at said transverse plane of the front end of saidspeculum, said movable arm being arcuately adjustable about the axis ofsaid tubular means to various positions within a predeterminedadjustment range while directing said beam through said speculum,electrical contact means carried by said arm within said recess forcontacting said illuminating means, and flexible electrical meansfixedly connected at one end thereof to said electrical contact meansand extending through said recess, said aperture and said passageways,and having the opposite end thereof fixedly connected to said electricalconducting means in said base portion.

4. A diagnostic instrument head comprising a main support havingelectrical conducting means in a base portion thereof and having a firstpassageway therein communicating with said electrical conducting means,a second passageway in said main support communicating with andextending angularly from one end of said first passageway, a tubularmember carried by said main support in substantial alignment with saidsecond passageway, ring-shaped means carried by said main support innormally fixed relation thereto, a substantially conically shapedspeculum having its larger end carried by said ring-shaped means andhaving its smaller end directed forwardly away from said ring-shapedmeans, said tubular member havin an elongated cylindrically shapedbearing surface formed thereon and disposed so that the axis thereofextends forwardly and passes through the transverse plane of the smallend of said speculum substantially centrally of the opening therein, amovable arm mounted on said tubular member and having a relatively largesupporting portion integral therewith, a cylindrical bore extendingthrough said relatively large supporting portion, said bore receivingsaid elongated cylindrical bearing surface, an aperture in said tubularmeans communicating with said second passageway, a recess in saidmovable arm communicating with said aperture, illuminating meanscarriedby said movable arm and disposed so as to direct a convergent beam oflight through said speculum and to focus said beam substantially at theplane of the small end of said speculum, said movable arm beingarouately adjustable about the axis of said bearing surface to variouspositions within a predetermined adjustment range while directing saidbeam through said speculum, and flexible electrical means connected atone end thereof to said illuminating means and extending through saidrecess, aperture and passageways, and having the opposite end thereofconnected to said electrical conducting means in said base portion.

5. A diagnostic instrument head comprising a main support havingelectrical conducting means in a base portion thereof and having a firstpassageway therein communicating with said electrical conducting means,a second passageway in said main support communicating with andextending angularly downwardly and rearwardly from said firstpassageway, ringshaped support means fixedly carried by said mainsupport and supporting a substantially conically shaped speculum, saidspeculum having its larger rear end attached to said ringshaped supportmeans and having its smaller end directed forwardly therefrom, a tubularmember carried by said main support within said second passageway andhaving a bearing portion extending rearwardly and downwardly therefrom,said bearing portion having an elongated cylindrically shaped bearingsurface formed thereon and disposed so that the axis thereof passesthrough the transverse plane of the small end of said speculumsubstantially centrally of the opening therein, an upwardly extendingarm movably mounted on said tubular member and having a relatively largesupporting portion integral therewith which is provided with acylindrical bore extending therethrough, said bore receiving saidelongated cylindrical bearing surface in said tubular member, saidmovable arm and said tubular member having communicating aperturestherein, illuminating means comprising a lamp assembly carried by saidmovable arm and disposed so as to direct a convergent beam of lightthrough said speculum and to focus said beam substantially at the planeof the front end of said speculum, said movable arm being arcuatelyadjustable about the axis of said bearing surface to various positionswithin a predetermined adjustment range while directing said beamthrough said speculum, and flexible conducting means electricallyconnected at one end thereof to said illuminating means and extendingthrough said apertures and said passageways, and having the opposite endthereof electrically connected to said electrical conducting means insaid base portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,913,780 Wappler June 13, 1933 2,507,771 Cole May 16, 1950

